1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and a digital image processing method for obtaining an out-of-focus images by combining multiple images, and a storage medium storing the digital image processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
An out-of-focus image is an image where the subject is in focus and the rest of the image is out of focus. Special purpose lenses are manufactured for obtaining out-of-focus images. The special purpose lenses are called long focus lenses which have a shallow focal depth of field (DOF) for obtaining an out-of-focus image. However, such specific purpose lenses may be expensive and may require the user to separately purchase the lens and install the lens on the digital image processing apparatus, which may be a camera. Moreover, a user may have difficulty using such a special purpose lens, and so the user may not be able to successfully obtain an out-of-focus image even with a special purpose lens.
Additionally, it may be particularly difficult to obtain an out-of-focus image with a compact digital still camera (DSC) because an imaging area of the compact camera is narrow due to the slim characteristics of the compact camera. The narrow image area means that the focal distance of the lens becomes short and the DOF becomes deep (which is the opposite of what is needed for an out-of-focus image) with respect to the background.
Users want to obtain out-of-focus images, but the existing technology makes it difficult to obtain out-of-focus images.